MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI BHARATSINH SOLANKI)
(a)&(b): The status of coverage of rural Scheduled Caste (SC) concentrated, Scheduled
Tribe (ST) concentrated habitations and habitations in Left Wing Extremism affected districts
with respect to drinking water supply is at Annexure I.
(c): Under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), 22% of the allocation is
earmarked for the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and 10% is earmarked for the Tribal Sub Plan
(TSP), which is to be utilized for coverage of SC concentrated habitations and ST concentrated
habitations respectively. During finalization of the Annual Action Plans, States are also urged
to prioritize coverage of habitations in Left Wing extremism (LWE) affected districts.
(d) For the years 2009-10 and 2010-11, the States were required to plan to utilise from
the total NRDWP allocation made to them, 25% for expenditure for coverage of SC concentrated
habitations and 10% for coverage of ST concentrated habitations. However there was no earmarking
of funds in these years. From 2011-12 onwards, 22% of the annual budget is earmarked for
Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and 10% of for the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP). Thus the funds
provided for coverage of SC and ST concentrated habitations and habitations in LWE affected
districts is as below:
2009-10 2010-11
Funds Funds
Allocation Allocation provided provided
for SCSP for TSP to LWE Allocation Allocation to LWE affected for SCSP for TSP affected districts districts
Not Not Not Not 738.10
earmarked earmarked N.A. earmarked earmarked
(in Rs. Crore)
2011-12 2012-13 Funds Funds
Funds Funds provided Funds Funds provided
earmarked earmarked to LWE earmarked earmarked to LWE
for SC for ST affected for SC for ST affected
habs. habs. districts habs. habs. districts
1884.42 948.43 836.39 1108.37 501.45 441.41
As on 30.11.2012
State-wise data for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11 is not maintained at the national level.
States have provided data for the years 2011-12 and 2012-13 on the online Integrated Information
System (IMIS) of the Ministry, which is at Annexure II.
(e): In addition to earmarking of specific funds for SCSP and TSP, the following changes
have been made in the NRDWP in order to ensure coverage of all SC, ST concentrated and other
habitations in rural areas, including those in Left Wing Extremism effected districts:
(i) States have been given flexibility to fix norms of distance and quantity for providing
handpumps, piped water supply and other rural water supply schemes. Therefore the earlier norm
of providing water supply at a distance of 1.6 km. has been removed.
(ii) The 100 person habitation norm that existed for taking up a habitation for coverage with
drinking water supply has been removed. No minimum population is now necessary for a habitation
to be taken up for coverage.
(iii) The norm of installing one handpump per 250 persons has now been removed.
(iv) There is now no mandatory beneficiary contribution to be collected under NRDWP for taking
up a drinking water supply scheme. Decision has been left to State Governments to decide on
whether to collect beneficiary contribution and if so, how much is to be collected.
(v) States have been given the flexibility to fix higher cost norms for habitations in IAP
districts and ST concentrated habitations
(vi) The funds available under the NRDWP for operation and maintenance of installed schemes
have been increased from 10% to 15%, so as to ensure sustainability of operation of schemes.
